In the midst of a pandemic such as we find itself, it is too easy for what started as a biological epidemic to turn into a mental health epidemic. We travel through a rollercoaster of emotional responses - first shock, then denial, then disbelief.
Fear and suspicion can, if left unchecked, lead to panic and irrationality in ourselves and in others around us. We need to be able to overcome this if we are to come through the other side. How we think and what we do really matters and there certainly are things that we can do to get us through more quickly, help us cope more effectively and really look after our mental health and wellbeing.
Here are just a few suggestions as to how we can cope more effectively in these testing times:
- Spend time with loved ones and really work on strengthening those connections - Try activities that help balance and calm in difficult times e.g. yoga, mindfulness and meditation - Turn off screens and instead turn to exercise, reading or other activities - If you must keep up with the news, be selective about your sources - the WHO and gov.uk are two of the more reliable ones that can be trusted - Find opportunities to do kind things for others - this will increase your own positive feelings as well as helping them - Get support if you need it, whether from a friend, mentor or mental health practitioner
Our days may look very different to how they looked even a week ago but try and build these activities into your day and see what a difference they can make.
